


Beyond the Sea

by Mikiri_Tohoshima



Category: BioShock 1 & 2 (Video Games), BioShock Infinite, Lackadaisy (Webcomic)
Genre: Canon-Typical Violence, Crossover, Internalized Homophobia, M/M, They are all cats, Time Loop, Time Travel, Torture, gonna add tags the more we go on
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-03-26
Updated: 2021-02-14
Packaged: 2021-02-28 18:40:41
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 12
Words: 20,792
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23321833
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mikiri_Tohoshima/pseuds/Mikiri_Tohoshima
Summary: Mordecai and Viktor will have to find a person in Rapture and save them in order to go back home.
Relationships: Mordecai Heller & Viktor Vasko, eventual ship - Relationship
Comments: 6
Kudos: 28





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> While i was writing i forgot Tracy drew a Rocky Bioshock, but this is pretty different.

cover by plukan

Beyond the Sea

Chapter 1

It was a quiet night in St. Louis, crickets were chirping and the street lamps on the bridge were buzzing, while the river Mississippi was flowing slowly, in the dark.  
Nothing was moving in that warm summer night, except for the moths attracted by the dim lights of the lamppost and the bats trying to eat them, until a car parked neatly on the bridge.

Inside the car there were few dark figures, and once it stopped, the moths and the bats could hear the soft music of a gramophone that abruptly went quiet.

After that, one of the figures opened the passenger door and went outside, inhaling the intense smell coming from the Old Man River, then opening the door of the back seats, letting another person step out.

The two cats then opened the last door and one of them roughly pulled out their two prisoners, tied up together, and forcing them out of the car. They were other two cats, one with black fur and spectacles on his nose, while the other was bigger, reddish and really angry, but the ropes were sturdy enough to withold his strength, so the two couldn’t free themselves.

The smaller one seemed pretty annoyed by all that situation, as if he hadn’t been kidnapped, but just slighly bothered by a trivial inconvenience, as if he had closed his hat in the vehicle's door, thing that indeed happened, after the thug slammed it shut while manhandling them.

The driver went out and lifted a little the brim of his hat, looking at his “guests” with a smug smirk on his face:

“So, it’s the end of the line for you Lackadaisy flunkies. It’s the last time you kill one of my men and the last time you'll do anything at all, but don’t worry, I'll let you listen to my music, while you drown. “

As soon as he spoke, the other thug brought the gramophone out from the car, putting the reproducer on place: Smooth jazz started to come out from the horn, while the henchman, who was holding Mordecai Heller and Viktor Vasko, started to drag the two near the barrier, ready to push them into the water.

“Do you have any last words?”  
Asked the driver, moving his head in rhythm with the music.

“Definitely yes. Give me back my hat."  
Answered Mordecai, icicles in his stark gaze, while Viktor snorted instead, mumbling some words in Slovakian and so obtaining a sharp glance from his companion.

“Oh, certainly, what are my manners, you want to die fancy, don’t you?”  
The henchman left the gramophone on the road and recovered the hat, placing it on Mordecai’s head.

“I don’t think this will be useful wherever you’re going, but here you go.”  
And then he stepped back, while the other thug pushed the two cats tied together in the river below.

It wasn’t a big leap. Mordecai just felt his head spinning and his lungs filling up with water the more he tried to break free from the ropes.

They have made a mistake. HE made a mistake, a big one, and now also Viktor was paying for it.  
The young cat started to look around, feeling how the weight of the Slovak was pulling him down.  
It was too late. He didn’t want to die like this, messily wet in dirty and cold waters, before he could... after he...

But then, just when his eyes were closing in defeat, a bright light coming from below surrounded their bodies, so he glanced behind his back and saw it.  
There was... something, like a fracture in the space, like a window... on somewhere else. He tried to swim away by moving his legs, but Viktor’s weight kept dragging him down, until both of them were swallowed by that rift.

The driver was smoking while listening to his music, waiting for something to come back afloat, like that stupid hat, or a boot, or even their corpses... When the entire bridge started to shake, and the pin of the gramophone went over track, making it skip a few tones. A powerful and bright light came up from the waters, and everything ended like it started.

The bats came back to hunt the moths and the crickets regained their melody, singing to the river.  
The driver scratched his eyes, trying to understand what happened, but in the end he just shrugged, throwing the cigarette’s butt in the Mississippi and walking back to his car.

“Don’t forget my music!”  
He exclaimed, starting the car, and after all his sidekicks went inside he drove away in the night.

Somewhere in the Atlantic Ocean, a lady was standing underneath a lighthouse.  
She was dressed with an elegant blue dress and her fur was a beautiful hazel color, with small white dots near her blue eyes.  
She was clenching her fists and was panting as if she had just run, but it was just the usage of her power that had left her short of breath.

At her feet there were Mordecai and Viktor, still bound together, coughing their lungs out after their improvised swim in those muddy waters.  
When they recovered, she kneeled to cut the ropes, but after his wrists were freed, Mordecai pointed a small knife to the lady’s throat, hissing:

“Where are we? What happened? How did you save us? W...”  
The lady stepped back, handing him his spectacles.

“Should I answer to your questions by order or would you like to know something else? Maybe who am I... and why were you brought here.”

Viktor coughed and spat some water, rubbing his sore wrists and elbowing Mordecai.

“Let lady speak”

Mordecai sat down then, yet still keeping out the knife, and putting his glasses back on top of his nose.

“Why a lighthouse in the middle of the ocean?”  
The lady sighed, looking towards the light sprouting from the top of the tower.

“This, gentlemen, is not a normal lighthouse. This is a door to a city. I brought you here, saving your life in the meantime, you’re welcome about that, because I need your help. I need you to find a person who is in great danger, and only you can save them.”

“Vhy uz? Don’t you have oder friends?”  
Viktor asked, rubbing the fur of his head that was slowly drying up.

“You will see why. Also... you have no choice now. I am the only one who can bring you home. So you have to help me... or live on this damp rock forever.”  
Mordecai shook his head skeptical, trying to understand what the lady was saying.

“So, you saved us from drowning with a miraculous magic trick, bringing us in this place...and you expect us to be thankful for the blackmailing? There is no other way to come back home if not through your... thing?”

For once Mordecai was really out of words. What was happening was too much beyond his understanding.

The lady nodded, pointing to the door of the lighthouse.  
“We are already late. Go and look for the bathysphere. It will bring you to the city. I haven’t told you but... this city... is at the bottom of the sea.”

Another absurdity. Mordecai felt like his head was exploding. He had to bring a paw to his forehead, taking deep breaths.

“And I know this may not make any sense... but you’ll understand when you’ll get there. Here, take these...”  
And she gave them two pistols, a kind that Mordecai had never seen before in his life, but that was the last of his questions. He got up, helped Viktor to stand, and the lady guided them to the door of the lighthouse.

“Be quick, descend the stairs and go in the bathysphere. I will reach you in a way or another.” And while she was closing the door, Mordecai turned, asking.

“Wait... what is your name?”  
And the lady smiled, answering while closing the door.

“Elizabeth.”.

End of the first chapter.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2 

The door closed, and Mordecai and Viktor were left in the dark. A few seconds passed until some lights turned on by themselves, which revealed a huge statue of someone with a red banner draped in front of it.   
The banner said “No Kings or Gods. Only Man.”   
Mordecai studied the place for a moment. There wasn’t that much to explore, but the room had two sets of stairs going down to another floor. 

“I guess we have to follow Ms Elizabeth's suggestion, then.”   
Murmured the smaller cat. He noticed that Viktor was looking for an escape, but...apart from the sturdy wooden door, there wasn't one. 

“Shall we?”   
Mordecai raised his voice, and Viktor nodded, following him. 

They went down the stairs one step at a time in order to stop and look at the small art deco plates on the wall. Each one had words written on it like “Creativity” or “Science”. When they reached the end of the stairs, they found themselves in front of what Elizabeth called a bathysphere. 

“I don’t want go.”   
Viktor blurted, looking at the small space within the object.   
“Not enough air for bod ov us...” 

Mordecai examined the bathysphere inside and out, and found a newspaper. He picked this up and put it underneath his armpit. 

“I understand your concerns, but I believe there is nothing to be afraid of. I know we just survived drowning and it may seem preposterous to go back in strange waters so soon, but look here.”   
He gestured to a tube linking the bathysphere to the surface.   
“We will have enough air for the journey we are about to confront. Also, you are a mechanic, shouldn't you understand this contraption more than I can?” 

“I repair trucks... not ships.” Viktor glared.

Mordecai took a deep breath and entered the bathysphere. He sat on the small bench and waited for Viktor to be ready. 

In the meantime, he removed his damp jacket and took inventory on his weapons and ammunition. 

Those strange guns Elizabeth gave them felt so natural in his hands. Still, he didn’t understand where they could be from. It resembled the gun the Driver took from him after he and Viktor were captured, but there were a few differences. 

He took a glance at the newspaper and brought a hand to his mouth, dumbfounded. The newspaper itself wasn’t anything important, just a country town paper with some articles about a cow missing, but what struck him was the date on it.

Sunday, August 17, 1958. 

“This is impossible. This would mean we are in the future...”   
The idea was giving Mordecai a huge headache. 

He didn’t know which day it was. His watch stopped working because of the unexpected bath in the Mississippi earlier. He took a deep sigh, and called for Viktor. 

“Come and see this.” 

Viktor came closer, but he stayed outside of the sphere, still not trusting it. Mordecai leaned over to show him the newspaper. 

“Looks like we are not only in another place... but in another 'time', as well."  
Viktor took the journal in his hands, reading the date and checking the pages. He then gave it back to his companion. 

“Lady is only vay to come back home then.”   
His gaze was fixed on the floor, but, finally, he took a step to go inside the bathysphere, and sat down on the bench. 

“You forgot hat...”   
Viktor noticed, looking at Mordecai's head, but the young one just shrugged. 

“It’s ruined. Also, probably quoting the thugs who tried to take care of us, but ah... I won’t need it where we are going.”   
He stepped up to the lever in the middle of the vehicle and grasped it, then pulled down.

The hatch closed and the bathysphere started its descent... 

Mordecai sat down next to Viktor. He was just letting himself lean a little against his shoulder when the sound of a projector startled him. A bright light snapped on and a film started to play in front of them. 

''I'm Andrew Ryan and I'm here to ask you a question: Is a man not entitled to the sweat of his own brow?   
"No, says the man in Washington. It belongs to the poor.   
"No, says the man in the Vatican, It belongs to God.   
"No, says the man in Moscow, It belongs to everyone.   
"I rejected those answers. Instead, I chose something different. I chose the impossible. I chose... RAPTURE.   
"A city where the artist would not fear the censor.   
"Where the scientist would not be bound by petty morality.   
"Where the great would not be constrained by the small. And with the sweat of your brow, Rapture can become your city as well.” 

When the film finished, the two saw the famous city at the bottom of the sea through the porthole.   
Mordecai was amazed, while Viktor looked around, puzzled. 

“How can people breat...”   
He asked, but was cut off by the small shortwave radio next to the hatch, which started buzzing and making sounds, until Elizabeth's voice came through. 

“Greetings. I apologize for letting you alone upstairs, but I had some business I needed to attend to. I imagine you are full of questions, and sadly you can’t speak to me but I can speak to you. For the moment, I can just tell you this bit of information to help you stay alive. 

"Strangers are not welcome here. I encourage you to find a mask to cover yourself as soon as possible, and to meet me in Fort Frolic. There is a map at the docking point.

"Please, avoid the plasmids. I know they may sound interesting, but if you use them, I can’t guarantee you’ll ever come back to normal. You’ll see yourself what plasmids are and how people are reduced after using them. 

"Also, be sure to bring this radio, as I may need to contact you sooner or later. And finally... Welcome to Rapture.” 

Slowly the bathysphere docked at what looked like a pier. Viktor took the radio and carefully affixed it to his belt, and Mordecai recharged the guns. He gave one of them to his companion. 

“Just to be on the same page, we are in some deranged city under the sea, the year appears to be 1958 and we are about to fight people who don’t like strangers. And we have to find a lady who has the power to save us from certain death by bringing us to said city under the sea. I would suggest we try to keep a low profile, using those masks Ms. Elizabeth suggested, and to try not to cause a massacre like usual. I... want to go back home.” 

“Do you?”   
That question pierced Mordecai’s brain like a sharp nail, and he stared at his companion sternly. It took all he had to keep his cool. 

“I remember what happened before we met Driver’s company very well. While I do not wish to talk about it... it doesn't quell my desire to go back to our old life. Our time. Our city, which is not under the sea. If you have a problem with that, I would very much like for you to speak up now, before we enter this new plane of existence.” 

Viktor didn’t say anything, but he slowly reached for Mordecai’s wrist. 

“I am here.”   
He mumbled softly, and Mordecai nodded. 

“Thank you. We will speak later, then... after all this madness is over.”   
He put the gun in the holster he kept under his armpit.  
After some searching, Viktor found a small switch and flicked it, allowing the bathysphere to depressurize and open the hatch. 

Mordecai scanned the area, and after seeing that nobody was around, he swiftly exited the ship and looked around for a map or a mask as per Elizabeth's suggestion. 

There were few masks in a corner on the ground, with the shape of rabbit and bird faces. He picked up two, a rabbit and a swan, and went back to the bathysphere, handing the swan one to Viktor. 

“Let’s find the map and get ourselves out of...” 

“Look mister Bubbles, an angel!” 

That voice was the most bloodcurdling sound Mordecai ever heard in his life. At first it seemed like a little girl, but it sounded like it was coming from something profound inside of her. Mordecai turned slowly, and found himself in front of a gigantesque body made of metal, with an head that was a like a big ball full of lights. And next to it, there was what looked like a little girl, at first. But the more he stared, the more he realized she was some kind of walking corpse. Her eyes were glowing in the dark. 

Mordecai immediately put his hand on his gun, but Viktor stopped him, locking him in a grip so strong that Mordecai couldn’t move at all. 

“Do not shoot. We do not want attention, remember?” 

Mordecai nodded, but he watched, full of dread, while the little girl ran towards... a corpse! The big metal figure that was probably her bodyguard walked slowly after her. 

“I... I don’t want to know what those are. I want to get away as soon as possible.”   
Mordecai mumbled. He put on his mask and took a step away from Viktor. 

“I know.”   
Viktor answered, and followed Mordecai's lead, looking around. 

“Let’s find map and let us go avay.” 

End of the second chapter.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3 

The abyss was dark, since the light of the sun couldn’t reach this far down in the water. It didn’t seem to be a problem for the city under the sea, though. The room where Mordecai and Viktor ended up was illuminated by electrical lights. 

The risks associated with water and electric cables was another thing that made the big Slovak nervous.

This place was called the “Welcome Center”, as they saw engraved in a plaque right on top of an enormous window facing the deep waters of the ocean. 

From that window they could see kelp and fish swimming quietly, along with other small animals crawling on the ground, and some strange bioluminescent slugs attaching themselves to other big fish. 

Mordecai noticed that the Welcome Center was adorned with banners stating the rules of the town. There were also some publicity panels about something called Eve, or Adam, and the infamous plasmids. On the ground were two corpses. 

“Vhy they left their body…?“ 

Viktor asked, surprised about the lack of compassion for the dead. He tried his best not to look at the little “girl” injecting a big needle in the stomach of one of the bodies and drinking the luminescent liquid that came from it. 

Her bodyguard looked pretty docile, waiting for her to finish her “meal”. Viktor tried not to think about what kind of link was shared between those two monsters, but...why did that little girl need protection? What was that liquid? He was about to feel sick, until he noticed Mordecai making his way towards a door. 

“Vait for me!”   
Viktor called out, following his companion. Mordecai stopped and looked at him through the mask. 

“I would very much like to keep going without stopping to admire the view. I understand this place is...picturesque...but I have no interest in vampire children and their friends. Shall we?”   
Viktor nodded, still not getting what was going on, but it was probably for his own good to not think too much about it. 

The duo passed through a waiting room full of abandoned suitcases and found themselves in a lounge. It was a stylish room with an elegant deep red carpet, with different neon lights illuminating the entrance of a restaurant. The sign above read 'The Kashmir'.   
It was then Mordecai and Viktor started to see other people. Through the open doors they could see real living beings dancing, chatting... and drinking.   
That view made Mordecai scoff in disbelief. 

“I guess the prohibitions didn't make it...”   
He mumbled to himself. He walked towards a bench and sat down.   
That gesture confused Viktor, who decided not to sit, but he had to ask what the other was doing.   
Mordecai carefully removed his spectacles under his mask and cleaned them on a still damp handkerchief before he finally decided to answer. 

“I apologize, now I'm the one who is delaying us. But...I suddenly found myself overwhelmed by the idea that all our 'upstairs' work is for... nothing.   
“I see people, drinking and having… fun... without a care in the world. I dare say they might not have to jump and hide their booze at the sound of the word 'raid'. And judging by the various posters we just passed, people here are literally free to go even over a little firewater, if you catch my drift.   
“For this reason... I wonder what is waiting for us. People who don’t worry about drinking in public and... touching and...”   
He went quiet and put his glasses back on. Viktor seemed worried, so Mordecai just shrugged.   
“Thank you for lending an ear to my observations. I feel better, now. Let us continue.” 

“Do you have a dollar?”   
Viktor suddenly asked, leaving Mordecai speechless. 

“Why? What do you need a dollar for?” 

“To buy drink.”   
Was the answer, and it made Mordecai even more incredulous.   
“Viktor, I don’t think we are supposed to...”   
But the young one was interrupted by the other. 

“You take time to swallow reality, I get drink. If lady vanted us to run, she would have said so. Do you have a dollar or not?”   
Mordecai just sighed. He pulled his wallet from the inside pocket of his jacket. 

“I do not have one dollar, I have five, hoping it will be enough for your drink. Can I ask you to be careful?”   
Mordecai urged, and handed him the wet note. Viktor grabbed him by the wrist and started dragging him towards the restaurant.   
“You vill come and see and I be careful.”   
Mordecai struggled a little, trying to let his claws out and trying to point his feet, but his companion was far stronger than him. They passed through the doors of The Kashmir, and only then did Viktor let Mordecai go. He grabbed the five dollar note and went for the bar. He put down the money the moment the bartender looked at him. 

“Vodka. “   
The Barman scrutinized him up and down, then smiled, grabbing a glass.   
“Good evening to you too, Sir. And what should I get for your friend? “ 

Mordecai shook his head next to Viktor.   
“Nothing at all, thank you. Perhaps you might help us in another way… “   
Mordecai lowered his voice, grabbed the wood of the bar, and brought his head to the barman. The barman mirrored him with a curious gaze.

“We have to reach for Fort Frolic, but we forgot the way… “   
The barman looked at him perplexed, and then he let out a small laugh, while serving Viktor's beverage. 

“Oh, a lover of good art? If you like whatever Cohen calls art, well, you are my guest, because that place is basically his house. In order to reach it… “   
The man got to thinking while he grabbed some glasses to clean. Meanwhile, Viktor lifted his mask just enough to uncover his lips and savour the vodka. 

Mordecai gave him a small glance, then turned his attention on the barman, who nodded. 

“Well, there isn't a direct way to get there. You have to take a metro to the Arcadia, and then you can get a connection to Fort Frolic. But it’s gonna cost you. Nobody gets into the Arcadia without paying.” 

Arcadia. Another place with a name that sounded like it came from some kind of book.   
Mordecai was already tired of this dance, and they didn’t even reach the party yet. He tried to smile. 

“Oh, yes. Thank you for your precious help. We better get going, then.”   
He tapped the back of his hand on Viktor’s elbow, who just finished his vodka, and the duo exited the restaurant. 

When they found themselves far enough away from other people, Mordecai tried to pinch the bridge of his nose. His fingers clacked uselessly against the mask. 

“I don’t think we can afford to go to this place. I have some more money in my wallet, but with the prices here I think we might need another way to procure some funds...” 

Viktor gave him a worried look.   
“Do you vant to rob people? Ve are not supposed to cause mess...” 

“I know, I know," Mordecai scoffed, trying not to panic, "but that Mrs. Elizabeth put us in a really perilous situation here. And...” 

Viktor touched his shoulder. 

“I know. Let’s go to metro, ve can think plan from dere.” 

Mordecai shrugged his hand from his suit and nodded in agreement. 

They went back into the restaurant in search of the real exit. When they found it, it took them into a plaza.   
There were several elevators surrounding it, some of them broken, but at least one or two were working. Mordecai soon found the way to the 'Metro' and they jumped on the right elevator. The elevator went up, giving them a panoramic view of the area around them. 

There were a lot of people. A big number of them were wearing masks, evidently trying to cover some horrifying malformations of their faces. They hid the loss of their fur with wigs and tubes made with fabric to cover their naked tails.   
Mordecai was surprised when he saw a man light a cigarette by snapping his fingers. He also saw a small crowd surrounding two people who appeared to be making a bet on who could lift more items... with telekinesis? Was that telekinesis? 

“These people have magical powers.”   
Mordecai murmured, more to himself than his companion, and tried to think at what he could do if he had powers for himself.   
“Do you think those are the famous plasmids?”   
He asked. Viktor shook his head, unsettled.   
When the elevator stopped, they arrived on another pier with a bathysphere that looked like it was waiting for them. 

“So, this is the famous metro...”   
Mordecai grumbled. He approached the small submarine and Viktor sighed.   
The duo stepped inside and pulled the lever.   
“To Arcadia, then.”   
And the porthole closed, preparing the bathysphere for submersion. 

End chapter 3


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Decided to update the tags. Prolly gonna do it on the next chapter as well. Also, it's time to play "find the easter egg"!

Chapter 4 

The Persephone was a prison built inside a big natural cavern set in the bedrock, and it hosted some 'dangerous' criminals. It was also the location of several laboratories with numerous projects to work on, the Delta Project among them. It was for Fontaine Futuristics.

August Sinclair named his prison after this goddess, daughter of Demetra, the Goddess of Harvest. One day Persephone was kidnapped by the God of the Kingdom of the Dead and forced to be his bride. 

He created it to isolate the political dissidents that Andrew Ryan didn't like. He couldn't just kill somebody for having different ideas, after all. That was one of the reasons Rapture was born. 

A man was walking down a corridor between the cells in the prison, casually engaged in a conversation on the radio. 

“Looks like Fontaine is dead. Ryan threw an ambush and he got killed in the gunfire.” 

At the same time, a woman was sitting at a desk and was tweaking the controls on a small black box, trying to connecting it to a monitor with some cables. 

“That is unfortunate, the man provided us with important funds for our projects. Does the public know?“ 

“I would be more surprised if the public didn’t know. Ryan decided to boast some kind of speech all over his tannoys. That man never knows when to shut up. “ 

The man opened a cell and let a tall figure out.   
This one was well built. He had dark black fur, and his tail was amputated. He nodded slightly and walked in front of him, that knew his prisoner wouldn't escape or do anything, because of a 'nice' rule in place for those who were imprisoned into Persephone: if they donated themselves to science, they could afford some improvements to their situation, such as more comfortable cells, the right to eat better food, or to have some company. 

“Thank you Dragomir, you are a peach. So where was I… yes. Fontaine is dead and Ryan will probably confiscate all his factories and work… shall we start burning papers? “ 

The woman answered again, hitting the side of the monitor with a fist, finally getting some images…

“That won’t be necessary. The funds were anonymous. They worked like donations, so nobody can track where they were from. And I already took care that everything had a… “ 

“Doctor Malvarosa! Doctor Malvarosa! There is something happening with the machine!” 

The aforementioned doctor stopped what was she doing and turned towards her assistant that had run for five floors to find her. 

“Oh, finally some good news! Morrison, I am sorry we have to interrupt here our little chat, but I have to take care of this…“ 

“Of course, doctor. Godspeed!” 

And Morrison kept walking, starting a chat with the silent Romanian. 

After turning off the radio, Doctor Malvarosa stood up and smiled to his assistant. 

“Let’s go, Raymond, bring me there.” 

Doctor Francesca Malvarosa was a lady with grey fur and green eyes. Her hair was kept into a strict bun and she wore small spectacles and a lab coat to cover her tweed suit. She had no tail. She was a mathematician with a degree in physics, but her specialty was time travel. 

But her colleagues always thought she was crazy to believe time travel might have been possible and it wasn’t just a fantasy, or an intricate plot device for literature, so, after wasting away money and into inventions that never worked, she decided to go to Rapture. 

And the moment she stood in front of the Lighthouse, one of her machines, a small box that looked like a radio, came to life. Unfortunately that never happened again, but something else was on, because with the discovery of plasmids, she was sure her life's work wasn’t for nothing. 

If you consumed ADAM that was already consumed by somebody else, it could allow you to revive the memories of that person… so, what if she could find a way to enter those memories? She also studied the Splicers called Houdini for a long time. They could basically teleport themselves in space, and Malvarosa's biggest dream was to be able to do the same but through moments in time. 

She worked for a year around that concept, until the day when she found the boy. 

The boy and his sister were brought to the Little Sisters Orphanage one day. Somebody probably thought they were two girls, but when Dr. Malvarosa visited the orphanage looking for easy subjects to work with, her little box that never left her pocket came back to life again the moment she approached him. 

The boy was named Hitoshi and he was the son of Japanese immigrants who came to Rapture to escape persecution, and since the machine never came alive since her descend into the abyss, she knew that he could be her key to success. She brought him to her laboratory and started experimenting on him to find a way to link the waves captured near the lighthouse and the ones with him. 

As a Doctor working in Persephone, she always had a big collection of plasmids she could use to somehow bring out the boy's” powers”, because she was convinced he had them. They spent a few weeks with a treatment that could only be called torture, until one day Hitoshi stopped breathing. In that moment, the laboratory--no, the entirety of Rapture--started to collapse on itself. 

Water gushed into the room, and something that looked like big windows started to open. The windows looked to be portals that lead to different places and times. Malvarosa thought this was the end, until she looked into one of the windows and saw a room that looked like her own. She grabbed as many papers as she could and entered it. It closed behind her back. From the calendar on the wall, it was about a week before she took her trip to the orphanage. 

Now she had two months before everything went south.   
She prepared her plan carefully, understanding that not only she was in another time, but that 'Rapture' was slightly different than the Rapture she was used to. 

Sadly, her plan didn’t go like she wanted. The boy died again, other windows opened, and she had to flee from that collapsing universe. 

This happened at least three more times. Once she had to go back in time for months, and another time she found herself in a flying Rapture. But there were always some constants. She had to go to the orphanage, and if she couldn’t find a way to channel the boy’s powers, she was going to be stuck in that time loop forever. 

That wasn’t going to happen. Her last time travel brought her five months from the day the universe collapsed. She took an assistant, Morrison, and she planned to build another machine, one that could track waves coming from people like 'her', people not being a part of that universe. 

This was a useful way to find Hitoshi when she couldn't (because even if he was born in that universe, the machine caught him as non-part of it). But she found out that there were more people like her, and she wanted to find them to understand how they travelled through time and space. 

So now the machine was ready, turned on, and when she entered her laboratory, she noticed it was catching something. 

There were people from another universe at Rapture.   
The doctor ran to the side of the machine, pushing a few buttons and letting a line of paper come out of it, and she studied it fervently...

Her assistant stepped up next to her. 

“Is everything all right, Madam?”   
Doctor Malvarosa looked up and smiled at him. She walked toward a desk and started to write something down.

“More than all right, Raymond. Everything is going perfectly. Call Morrison. We can finally got our hands on some time travellers...” 

End Chapter 4


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5 

“Do you remember the tune that was playing in the restaurant?” 

Viktor was taking in the view outside the bathysphere, trying to distract himself from the fact they were once again underwater. He tried to count all the fish he could see. He didn’t expect Mordecai to start up a conversation, but he nodded, then returned to watch outside the porthole. This 'metro' sure was taking a long time to bring them to Arcadia. 

“Do you remember the words? Do you understand them? I know you might...” 

“No." Viktor interrupted, "It was nice song. Mrs. May could dance .” 

Mordecai scoffed at his grammar and tried to fix his shirt sleeves. They had already had too many fights about the Slovakian's broken English, so he let it be. 

The music was still haunting Mordecai with its melody. He turned his attention to the bathysphere docking at a new port. 

The porthole opened and the duo exited. They looked around. This place actually looked like a train station, with a tall ceiling and wooden benches where people waited for passage, some reading the newspaper, some practicing with the plasmids. There were even a few children playing ball. Every lamp post had a vase full of flowers, and a huge sign welcomed them:

"Welcome to Arcadia”, it read, and a small arrow next to it pointed to a ticket booth.

Mordecai sighed, taking his wallet from his pocket and counting the money he had inside. From a map posted by the ticket booth, they could see that the station to reach Fort Frolic was on the other side of Arcadia. The price to enter the place was too much for their slim finances.

“Well, then, we'll have to find another way to get in...”   
Mordecai mumbled to his companion. 

Then he looked past Viktor and saw someone walking toward them with purpose. It was a small guy with blonde fur and short whiskers. He was holding a newspaper and wearing a dark overcoat over a fine white jacket.

“Excuse me... May I ask… are you Mordecai Heller and Viktor Vasko? “ 

Mordecai almost sliced the guy’s throat, as scared as he was, but Viktor tried to keep him calm. 

“Vat if it is us? Vat do you vant?“ 

The person made a small bow, and put a gloved hand on his chest. 

“I am Doctor Andrew Morrison. Miss Elizabeth sent me here to help you.” 

“Are you a doctor?”   
Mordecai asked, still trying to not let his blood boil and assault the smaller man.

“Yes, I have a doctorate in botany and I often spend my time at Arcadia studying it. Miss Elizabeth knew you probably needed help to pass through. I can make it happen... free of charge.” 

Mordecai shared a look with Viktor, who nodded.   
There wasn’t another way to pass, anyway. Unless they wanted to rob someone. Eventually, Mordecai sighed, and nodded in agreement.  
“Well then. Since there is no other way… we are grateful for your help. “ 

Dr. Morrison squeaked joyfully and trotted toward the ticket booth. He nodded to the worker.

“Hello, darling, would you kindly provide me and my guests with three tickets?” 

The guy behind the glass didn’t say anything. He ripped three tickets and passed them to the doctor, who cheerly gave one each to Mordecai and Viktor. 

“So, since this is settled, why not join me for lunch? I booked a nice booth in the Worley Winery. We can converse there without being interrupted... or heard.” 

When they walked through the door, Mordecai had to admit...If he was the owner of such a beautiful place, he would have made it expensive to visit, too.

The trees were green and beautiful, and there were flowers all around. It felt like an eternal spring to someone who lived in metropolis all his life. Mordecai had the occasional walks into the park, but this forest was completely different. He had never seen trees so big. The smell of pollen was overwhelming.

Viktor didn’t seem terribly affected by it, and walked in front of him calmly.  
It could be a trap. Mordecai still had his gun and knife, and he knew Viktor was always ready to throw a punch.

They followed Doctor Morrison down a stone through the gardens, until they reached a door that lead to a Farmer's Market. It was full of life, and people walking, buying, tasting... 

Of course, Mordecai noticed all the patrons were fancily dressed, and were acting like it was a privilege to be doing their shopping in such a place. The vendors, however, looked like normal people just trying to get by. 

“So much for the ownership of the sweat of our brow...” Mordecai said to himself softly, quoting the words he and Viktor heard during their first journey in the bathysphere.

Dr Morrison guided them to a place he called the Winery. Mordecai had never been to France, but that place looked like everything he heard about the country. A stereotype of a building made real.

When they entered, the smell of wine was so intense Mordecai felt nauseous and had to take a step back. This garnered a concerned look from Viktor, but he just waved to indicate he was alright.

Immediately they were approached by a server. Dr Morrison once again showed his jolly façade, and produced some dollar notes from his pocket. 

“Janet, my dear, remember me? These are my guests. Would you kindly show us to my reservation, and bring us something to taste while we decide on the food?” 

The server nodded quietly, and guided them to a small booth with some screens for privacy.

Dr Morrison clicked his tongue in approval and sat on one of the chairs. Viktor did the same. Mordecai took a moment to study the area while the overpowering smell of wine assaulted his senses.

When he was satisfied, Mordecai joined them at the table. The doctor spoke at once.

“So. Ms. Elizabeth told me... that you are not exactly locals. But don't worry about it, your secret is in good hands. I assume you are confused. Do you have any questions so that I may de-confuse you?" He chuckled at his own joke. 

The waiter brought them some wine and an appetizer of cheese, crackers, and grapes. She then took their orders and left.

Looking at the food, Mordecai felt a slight rumble in his stomach. He plucked a grape while Viktor tasted the wine. 

“We are certainly full of questions, yes, and I think I speak for both of us with this one... What are plasmids?” 

Dr. Morrison let out a small whistle, taking out a handkerchief from his pocket. 

“Straight to the chase, eh? Well then... I suppose I could give you a small history lesson...” 

He took a sip of his wine, approving it, and then lit a cigarette with a snap of his fingers.

“So. Rapture, hmm? I don’t know where you are from, but Andrew Ryan always dreamt about a place with a free market, no morals and yada yada yada. The thing is, you can’t take away human nature. They will always want more, and break the rules and... yes, all right. “   
He took a deep breath, and another sip of wine.

“So, he builds this underwater town, and calls a lot of people to live here. I came because I liked the idea that I could keep working on my studies in peace. But then... they discovered the slugs, and with them, the power to change people’s DNA. Their genes.

“They created this... ADAM, this juice that at the base of everything. Because, oooh yes, now everybody wanted to use it, but … you see, it fries your brain. And your face. Still, the demand was so high... they had to harvest it from corpses...” 

“The vampire child...”   
Murmured Viktor, and his eyes went wide. Dr Morrison nodded. 

“Yes... I take it that you've already seen them. The Little sisters and the Big Daddies. One can’t live without the other and both are man-made monsters for our own avarice. They discovered a way to recycle the ADAM, but they had to sacrifice children in order to do it.” 

Dr. Morrison stopped to eat something.

"So... it’s like this everywhere?” Mordecai spoke up.

“What do you mean?” The doctor asked, lifting his gaze.

“The... situation..." Mordecai cleared his throat, "...with ADAM, and the children... does this happen everywhere? In the other cities?” 

Morrison looked at him confused, then looked at Viktor, trying to understand, until he realized. 

“Oh! No! My dear boy... no, Rapture is only one. I... There are no other cities under the sea. This is the only place dealing with ADAM and the problems it imposes.

“To answer your question, plasmids are serums that can genetically modify you. They give you powers that are out of your imagination. Even I indulged in them once--twice, I suppose--" He snapped his fingers again, and a flame danced at the tips of them. "--but it's terribly, terribly dangerous. Consuming too many plasmids can touch you in the head... and you can't go back to what you were before. They should have invented a plasmid to remove the plasmids. Oh, our lunch!” 

With a small chuckle, the doctor positioned a napkin on his neck and grabbed his fork, while the server placed some plates in front of them.

After the waitress left again, dr. Morrison pointed his fork at his guests.  
“So... I don’t know why Ms. Elizabeth brought you here, and I don’t know how long you will stay, but trust an old man. The plasmids aren't worth it. You just can’t go back.” 

And with that warning, he turned his attention to his lunch. 

Mordecai and Viktor looked at each other, just one time, before tucking in to their meals. That threat hung heavy in the air. Those two wanted to go back to their own time more than anything...but with their bodies intact. 

End of chapter five.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6 

Malvarosa was still waiting for an answer from her man. 

She was sitting in her office, watching some footage recovered from a security camera. When she went to the Little Sister’s Orphanage, Hitoshi wasn’t there, so she was looking for him. 

She had some splicers--people who used so many plasmids, they were addicts--on her paybook, but she mostly used them to recover cameras from around the city in order to look for her targets.

From the waves of her machine, she knew the Time Travelers just passed through the Welcome Center. She lost them when they used one of the bathyspheres. She placed men at every station linked to the Welcome Center, and asked them to keep an eye out for foreigners.

She waited for hours, but there was no answer. 

Her time traveler tracker remained silent and she was losing her patience. Why did they disappear from the city? Did the bathysphere sink? 

That couldn't be possible. She took a map of the metro and studied it carefully, trying to understand why she couldn't track them.

Then she saw it. 

Arcadia. 

Her tracker could scan through metal, glass, and even lead, but not through organic matter. Infernal things like trees and moss and ivy. The plants in Arcadia gave the worst interference. The scientist behind that underwater forest used ADAM to make them grow.

With this knowledge, she calculated the approximate time needed to travel with the bathysphere and how long ago she lost trace of them. She managed to pinpoint exactly how much time they had spent in Arcadia, and for sure, they were still there.

There was no time to lose. 

She took her radio and started to adjust the waves, but she found herself stopping half way through. 

She didn’t like to use this method. She preferred to work on her own, manually. To use her own strengths to reach for her objective… 

...but this wasn’t her little project, anymore! She found some real people that came from another time! She needed to experiment on them. She had no choice. 

“Raymond, please lock the door. I have an important call to make. “   
“Yes, Doctor.” 

Her assistant jumped to his feet and went outside, closing the door behind him.   
Malvarosa dimmed the lights and worked some more on the waves. She tuned in to the channel she needed, and spoke through it with a clear voice. 

“Mr. Lagoon, can you hear me?" 

The radio buzzed in response. 

“Mr. Lagoon. Do you hear me?" Malvarosa tried again. 

The radio started buzzing a little higher, and the dim lights became brighter, bright, so bright that some exploded.

The radio started changing channel by itself, until all Malvarosa could hear was a soft panting. 

Malvarosa smiled slightly, thinking of the broken glass she would need to sweep up. But not now. 

“Mr. Lagoon, I need you to do something for me." Her voice was unwavering and strong. "There are some intruders in Rapture. Two new people. I need you to find them on the cameras and bring me a picture. They are in Arcadia, now, but I don’t know for how long. Can you do this?” 

She waited, and after long moments, the panting became a voice. It sounded far, far away. 

“ADAM...”   
Of course. If there was something he needed, it would be ADAM.

“Bring me the pictures and I will find you some ADAM. You can put the film in the projector I have in this room; I’ll leave it attached to a socket for you.” 

The panting stopped, the radio buzz went silent, and the lights turned dim. She knew Mr. Lagoon wasn’t there anymore. 

So she sat down, told Raymond to come back and returned to her work. 

She needed to find that boy. 

Dr. Malvarosa was one of the few people who knew that Mr. Lagoon was still... alive. If you could call that a life worth living. 

Mr. Lagoon was on Fountaine's payroll as a hitman. He loved to use plasmids. His favourite ones were electrical, which he used to finish off his victims. He used them so much that he could physically exit his body and travel along the electric cables of Rapture. This was always temporary, and he would return to his body...that is, until one day, when Ryan's goons got to his body first, and disposed of it. Now Mr. Lagoon's only way to survive was to stay in the electric grid. He still needed ADAM to keep going and maintain his plasmids. Otherwise, he didn't know what would happen. No one did.

These days Malvarosa was one of his only clients other than Fontaine. And now Fontaine was dead. Everything was left in the doctor's hands.

Mr. Lagoon's need for ADAM was strong. The thirst, unquenchable. He obediently travelled through the city cables until he arrived in Arcadia. 

It was difficult travel around that place, because there wasn’t that much electricity, but Mr. Lagoon found his path running from lamp post to lamp post. He jumped between them until he reached the Farmer’s market. In that place there were the security cameras from which he could steal the coveted footage.

He zipped all around the Market, until he saw three figures coming out the Winery. Two of them stood out as foreigners instantly. Mr. Lagoon jumped to a camera in front of them. Their silhouettes were recognizable even through their masks.

He came back to Dr. Malvarosa’s lab as fast as he could, and transferred the footage directly to the monitor Malvarosa set for him. 

The job took approximately five minutes. 

Malvarosa got a little startled when the monitor buzzed to life, but after taking a good look at it, she decided she needed more horsepower. She definitely needed help. Those two might even be useful as corpses.

“Raymond, set up a call with Mr. Ryan for me. We should warn him about some parasites lurking in his fine city...” 

***

After lunch, Dr. Morrison guided Mordecai and Viktor to the metro station on the other side of Arcadia. 

The duo didn’t want to ask any more questions, even if their curiosity was enormous. They didn't want to know what the future would hold. Mordecai didn't want another headache, and Viktor didn't want to feel hopeless. 

Some things were better left unknown. 

Dr. Morrison chatted nonchalantly about missing the rain and how it was almost impossible to find a proper gulash down here. Apparently crepes were the best thing he could get. 

He waved them off on the bathysphere, and when they were underwater, he contacted Ms. Elizabeth. 

“Madame, they are coming. I gave them all the knowledge I could, but I am not sure they will follow our advice.” 

“Only time will tell. Even if we have a severe shortage of it."  
Was her answer, her voice warbled by the radio.

The bathysphere floated through the abyss, bringing its passengers slowly and surely to their destination. 

End chapter 6


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7 

“And here we are. Fort Frolic.” 

Mordecai was feeling unusually sarcastic as he stepped out of the bathysphere. He looked around to see if he could find Elizabeth or someone that could point him to her. 

Viktor, too, was tired of traveling around. Even though the food had been tasty, it wasn’t fulfilling. He was still hungry. And wet. But he didn’t want to complain while he followed Mordecai through the station. 

“Go to Fort Frolic, she said. We will meet there, she said. Of course! Because giving us a little more instruction was too much trouble?“ 

They went around a corner and a stage light cast over them both. 

The duo had just a moment to adjust their eyes, then they heard a voice behind them accompanied by the sound of a sickle cutting through the air. 

“Look at the little rabbit… he looks so tasty… “ 

It was a female voice. Above them. The woman fell from the ceiling and landed on her feet. She dressed elegantly, with her face covered by a rabbit mask very similar to Mordecai's. She had two sickles in her hands which she moved in a hypnotic rhythm, ready to strike. Mordecai readied his pistol. This lady meant trouble.

Suddenly, he heard a pained grunt from Viktor. 

There was another person behind them. A man wearing a mask. He had thrown one of his sickles, which barely grazed Viktor. Viktor didn't move, he just balled his fists...

...as if he was waiting for Mordecai's signal. 

Mordecai removed the safety lock from his gun, elbowing his partner. 

“Come on, big ox, he attacked you. Go and make him pay.” 

But when he pointed his gun at the lady, she disappeared. 

Mordecai darted his eyes around, then the lady dropped on his back, piercing his shoulders with her blades. Blood poured from his wounds and Mordecai tried to shake her off, grabbing his knife and cutting her wrists. Immediately, a red substance sprayed from her stab wounds. 

It wasn't blood. 

The cuts were enough to make the woman let go, and she jumped away, but when she tried to put her weight on her hands she toppled over gracelessly. Mordecai grabbed his pistol and shot her in the gut. 

When he turned around, he saw that Viktor already took care of their other opponent. 

The man wasn’t dead yet. When he lifted his hand to throw his other sickle, Viktor literally threw him into the window of a shop, and it shattered into a shower of glass.

Soon after, sirens blared. A voice shouted from a speaker.

“Vandalism is a crime at Ratpure! Vandals are parasites!” 

Some flying machines zoomed toward them and attacked, firing bullets.

Mordecai shot back and hit his mark. Two of the machines careened to the ground with a crash. Viktor grabbed him by the wrist and they ran through a nearby gate. It closed behind them, but before they could catch a breath, another stage light lit them up, followed by...applause?

“Bravo! Bravo my darlings, you acted so, so well in your performance! Bravo!” 

After Viktor and Mordecai got adjusted to the light, they spotted a staircase in the middle of a plaza, and a person descending them, applauding, surrounded by several people doing the same.

He was completely hairless, with pointed ears and a painted moustache under his nose. He walked slowly down the staircase until he arrived in front of them. 

“Welcome to my house! Welcome to Fort Frolic! My name is Sanders Cohen, and this is a place for the fine arts.   
“I am delighted to see you pass the test, but... the emotions! The suspense! I was almost sure you were going to perish, little one--"--he touched Mordecai’s nose with a closed paper fan, and he realized they both lost their masks at some point--"--but you managed to survive, and you obtained such magnificent gifts from our muse! Photographer, please, we need to preserve this momentus occasion for the centuries after us!” 

But when he touched Mordecai’s shoulder again to turn him around, Viktor grabbed his wrist, almost growling. 

“You are monster... Ve killed people!” 

Cohen lifted his head to look him in the eye. 

“...Of course, you did. Kill or be killed, my dear. Now, could you unhand me? I feel like you might break my bones...” 

Viktor opened his mouth to answer, but they were surrounded by flashes. People were photographing them from all angles. He covered his eye to see through the light, and saw that Mordecai was borderline catatonic. The bloodstains on his back were growing bigger and darker.

Panic rising in his throat, Viktor saw his companion stumble, and he got an arm around his waist in the nick of time. Mordecai shook his head weakly and struggled to push away his hands.

“It’s just a flesh wound, let go...” 

But Cohen noticed that and smiled. He took a step backward and looked directly at Viktor.

“You are in need of medical assistance, aren’t you? Your friend is losing a vast amount of blood...” He approached then, and whispered.

“Let us take a look, 'big ox'...then you can do whatever you like.” 

Viktor felt the warmth of the blood passing through his own clothes. This couldn’t be happening. They just got here and now Mordecai was dying because a sick psycho wanted to take a peek at their wounds?

“Haluz...”   
He mumbled, and gently turned Mordecai around. His eyes were almost closed.

The flashing lights of the cameras came back, and after just about a minute, Cohen lifted his hands. 

“A doctor, per favore! We are in need of a practitioner."

“I am a doctor!” 

A man approached followed by two nurses. He glanced quickly at Mordecai and asked Viktor to support him for a little while he guided him. 

Mordecai was still awake, barely, but his whole body was in agony. He limped after the doctor until they arrived at the infirmary. It was just a little room with a medical berth and some cabinets full of bottles. 

“Please..." Mordecai whispered, looking up at Viktor, "leave me here... I don’t want you to...” 

Viktor nodded, placed him on the berth, and with some hesitation, exited the room. He knew how hard it was for Mordecai to let other people touch him. But, his privacy was more important.

Viktor grimaced at the bloody mess that was his shirt. Then, someone familiar came running towards him.

It was Ms. Elizabeth.

Her hair was down and her face was full of sorrow. She screeched to a halt in front of him, panting heavily, then stood up straight and fixed her hair.

“I... I want to apologize for not being at the station the moment you arrived, but I got tangled up in some business. I saw the crowd, and I imagine Cohen put you through one of his 'games'...” 

Viktor nodded, crossing his arms over his chest. 

Elizabeth tried to look past him, but the door of the infirmary was closed and the curtains were shut. 

“What happened?” she asked.

“Ve got attaked. Monster lady used her... scythes on him. I... do not think it is deep wound, but... lots of blood.” 

Elizabeth put a hand on her mouth, alarmed.   
“Oh, I see... And, how are you? Have you been wounded as well?” 

Viktor shook his head. When the scythe flew past him, it only nicked his clothing.

“I am fine. Just... worried.” 

Elizabeth tried to decipher his look, and then she noticed he was glaring at the crowd behind her. Cohen and the other artists were drinking, playing, and making music without a care in the world.

“The bald one... vanted to take picture. Of his back, with the blood. People coming here told us he vas artist... is … this art?” 

Viktor was confused, and angry, so he glared at Elizabeth. His voice dropped so deep it sounded like growling. 

“You told us to come here. Ve are here. Vere is person ve had to save.” 

Elizabeth stopped to look at the party and turn around to look at Viktor. 

“Yes. I promised I would tell you everything once you arrived here. But this... is not the place. Tomorrow there will be a celebration for the 'Liberation from the Parasites'. Let’s meet in front of that theatre over there.” 

“I’ll procure tickets for us," she said, gesturing to an arcade, "and I'll make sure they're for a booth where we can speak privately."

“Vhy not now?" Viktor blurted. He didn't want to be rude, but he almost stomped his foot. "Vhy you can’t tell us vhat is going on? Mordecai could have died because of you!” 

“I... I know, I know, but I couldn’t let that happen and... and I have enemies, too. Enemies that are looking for me, and looking for you. They want to stop us.” 

She glanced about, starting to breathe heavily. 

“I am going to send you some help again. I am sorry for what happened to Mr. Heller, I have to go. Please, come tomorrow. I promise this will end soon.” 

And with that, she ran away again. Viktor watched her until she disappeared through a door. It was like she wasn't there at all.

End Chapter 7


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

In that same moment, the doctor came out of the infirmary. He nodded and smiled at his nurses, then beckoned to Viktor.

“He will survive. He refused the ADAM treatment so it will take some time to recover. Do you have a place to stay?” 

Viktor was caught by surprise. A place... of course they needed somewhere to stay until Mordecai’s wounds healed... 

“Can I see him?” 

“No need...I am here.” 

Mordecai was already at the door, his spectacles in hand. His clothes were dirty and he was visibly uncomfortable in them. The doctor took a deep sigh at seeing him standing so soon, so he approached, shaking his head. 

“I would prefer to keep you here overnight, but if you feel like you can go, I won’t stop you.” 

“You have done enough. Thank you, doctor.” 

Mordecai surveyed the area.

“Did something happen?” 

“Lady Elizabeth arrived.” Viktor answered.

“What? While I was inside? What did she say? Where is she now?” 

Viktor wordlessly tried to calm him down. Mordecai was still unstable on his feet, so they went to sit on some benches that were surrounding the plaza. 

“She said she wants to see us tomorrow, during a show. She also said ve need to wait for her help to arrive...” Viktor explained.

Mordecai jumped to his feet, and twisted his face in pain from the effort. He shook his head.

“I've had enough of this. I agree on seeing her tomorrow, but I can't take some old person telling us what to do or how to live anymore. Didn't you notice we're being shipped around like parcels? Ugh! I say we find ourselves somewhere to sleep, and then I will have words with Ms. Elizabeth about her methods. Leaving us at the mercy of that...artist...was rude and downright unpleasant."

He turned way and started limping towards some street signs. 

Viktor left the bench, following him. 

“Vhere you going?” 

“I want to find a tailor. I can’t keep going with these clothes. Look! They are so unclean, and unkept, and," he pointed at a single thread hanging from his cuff, "my jacket is literally falling apart!” 

Viktor nodded, and looked again at his own blood-soaked shirt.

“But ve don’t have money...” 

Mordecai shook his head again, and pulled a wallet out of his pocket...that wasn't his own. 

“I know we weren’t supposed to do it, but as you said... we had no money. And now we do. At least the doctor didn't make me pay for his services...” 

Viktor wasn’t really happy to know that Mordecai straight up robbed somebody, but they needed the funds, and if they wanted to emancipate themselves... 

There was a small map on a wall of the plaza, but all the important places exposed there were clubs or art-related. Viktor was interested in a certain “Eve’s Apple”, but a gelid glance from Mordecai made him desist immediately. 

The two of them started walking around, looking for somebody who could help them find what they needed faster. 

While they were walking, Mordecai just wouldn't stop chatting. Viktor was surprised. What happened to him? Did the doctor give him some kind of strange drug? 

“You know, I am dazzled with this place. I can’t put my finger on why, but right now I still don’t understand how we arrived here. Yes, she had magical powers, but are those magical powers from plasmids, as well? Are there time traveling plasmids? And … and are we sure we time traveled? Or was it just a … some kind of elaborated prank that went too far? Don’t answer... kindly, don’t... answer, if you please, because I don’t want to hear it. Anyway, this is all my fault and...” 

His pupils were wide and he was gesticulating a lot, trying to use his hands along with his words to make his speech. This reminded Viktor of when Mordecai got drunk, but this time his small companion was calmer and wasn’t trying to get himself known all throughout the town. 

They were passing by another big hallway when Viktor grabbed Mordecai by the wrist and pointed at a window that undoubtedly belonged to a tailor. The light was off and a young person was outside, closing the gate. He was rather small, and had dark patches around his face and arms. His tail was thick like a feather duster.

Mordecai approached him, trying to keep his cool. 

“Uhm... Good... day, sir, are you closing the shop?” 

The smaller man smiled at them.

“Good evening to you, sir, yes, we are done for the day and we are going to reopen--"--but he trailed off, gaping when he saw the sorry state Viktor and Mordecai were in. "– tomorrow. Unless it’s an emergency of course. And I can recognize an emergency when I see one.” 

The shopkeeper finished closing the gate and put the key in his pocket.   
“The name’s Jacques. I only keep the shop. My partner, Bob, is already at home, but you can come to our apartment and we can arrange something for you to wear. Is this a suitable option?” 

Viktor felt uncertain, also because Mordecai was still acting a little weird, but his companion grabbed Jacques' hand and nodded profusely. 

“Yes, yes, yes, sorry for the trouble, but we are really in need of your help. My name is Mordecai and this is Viktor.”

Jacques smiled again, trying to free his hands from Mordecai’s grip. He did, and pointed to the road. 

“Very well, it’s not far away. Nice to meet you. I promise you won’t be disappointed; Bob’s creations are in vogue with the best fashion of the city, and we have a few samples of informal clothing as well.” 

Along the road, Jacques tried to make conversation. 

“Are you the ones who created Cohen’s new masterpiece? We could hear his celebrations all over Fort Frolic... and... well... you are covered in...” 

“Ve do not talk about dat.” Viktor shut him down.

They continued their walk in silence. Luckily, the apartment complex was not all that far away. They climbed a couple flights of stairs and Jacques unlocked the door to his flat.

“Bob, I’m home, and I have customers!” he announced, entering the room.

“Again, Jacques? Yer lucky I cooked a lot for dinna..."

They entered the house just when Mordecai’s painkiller started to wear off, which left him hissing in pain and trying to scratch at his stitches.  
Viktor tried to keep him calm, and guided him into the house gently by his wrist. They walked down a short hallway with two doors in it, and they entered a living room with the kitchen attached. 

Bob was a huge guy with brownish fur and a slim tail. He switched off the heat under a pot and wiped his hands off on a towel.

“Oh, look here. Don’t ya prefer take a showa’ before dinna’?”   
Viktor was confused by the accent of the tailor, and watched Mordecai hiss and carefully sit down on a chair.

“I... I would gladly wash up... I appreciate the kindness...”   
Jacques then disappeared to prepare the bathroom. Bob took out some measuring tape.

“Well well, justa lemme taka’ a few measurements, yes?”   
Viktor just stared at him, full of suspicions, while Mordecai lifted an arm for the tailor.

A few minutes later, Jacques came back with some towels. 

“I ran a bath for you, so you can clean yourselves. The bathroom is a little cramped, but if you want you can go together...” 

Mordecai stood up, still leaning on the chair. 

“Why would we want to do it together? Ugh, show me the way...”   
But before he could take a step, Bob placed a syringe in his hands. 

“For the painah. If all of this is your bloodah, then I don’t wanna look at ya back, man.” 

Mordecai looked at the syringe, nodded, then looked over his shoulder at Viktor.

“I might need your help.” 

Viktor took a deep sigh, taking the bathrobes and following Jacques into the bathroom. 

It really was cramped. The bathtub was full of hot water and the room smelled faintly of lavender. Viktor locked the door behind them and sat down on the toilet so he could help Mordecai disrobe easier. He stopped at his underwear, then covered his eye to give Mordecai some privacy. He could only hear the shuffle of clothing and the quiet sound of water sloshing around when Mordecai stepped in the tub.

“You can look now.” 

Viktor opened his working eye. Mordecai was facing away from him in the tub, so he got a full view of his back. There were two gnarly gashes stitched together in a somewhat decent way. They were red and puffy, and looked really painful. Mordecai was carefully holding his back in such a way to avoid touching the side of the bathtub. His knees were pulled up to his chest.

"Do you vant to take medicine?"  
"Maybe later. If I understand what is inside that syringe correctly, I should have some food first. I don't want to pass out in front of our hosts."

“Do you know they are buzik?”   
“What?”   
“Buzik... Like... a man married to another man?”   
Mordecai turned his head, fixing his spectacles. 

“No, that is illegal. Also how do you know?” 

Viktor shrugged and stood. He removed his suspenders and stripped off his shirt, revealing his big, fuzzy chest stained with dried blood.

“They have pictures on stove. And live together. Also, if Rapture is city vere you can do everything... maybe you can marry with man? And lady with lady?” 

“But... It’s immoral, and... dirty and...”   
Viktor gave him a glare, and Mordecai turned away in a huff. He grabbed a sponge and started cleaning himself. 

“... And it’s not fair...”   
He whispered, trying to reach for his back but failing to do so. Viktor sighed, approaching. 

“Give me sponge, I help you.”   
Mordecai dropped the item in his hand and hugged his knees again, shaking a little. Viktor didn’t say anything else. He just helped get him clean.

When he was done, Viktor took a quick shower to get rid of the blood and, more importantly, the dirtiness he felt ever since they were thrown in the muddy waters of the Mississippi. He put on the bathrobe and it felt just right on him. After that, he changed into the clothes Jacques left them from behind the door.  
Mordecai was already dressed and trying to comb his fur while reorganizing his possessions in his pockets.

The suit Bob had given him was grey with red threads that gave it a strange shine. Viktor just had some working clothes similar to the ones laying on the ground.  
They still had a small dampness to their fur, but when they were ready they left the bathroom. Jacques reassured them that the dirty clothes would be taken care of.

“Comm’ a sit, now, soup ‘s ready” 

Bob beckoned them towards the table and served them hot bowls of soup.   
Of course, it was fish soup, but it tasted warm and creamy, with small pieces of smoked haddock and potatoes. Viktor felt so hungry that he finished a second bowl, while Mordecai barely finished his own. After he injected the 'medicine' in his arm, he basically passed out. This startled Viktor. 

Bob laughed in a low voice, holding up the young one and putting him on the couch, covering him with a blanket. 

“Calm yah horses, he’s fine. Just needed some help to recover. Tomorrow he will feel fresh like a rose, I promise yah.” 

Jacques appeared with a mattress under his arm and some blankets. 

“You can sleep here on the ground or you can use our bed... We will stay up to finish some work...”   
But there was something else that was haunting Viktor’s mind. 

“Vhy. Vhy are you helping us so.” 

Jacques put the mattress on the ground, next to the couch and started to fix the blankets on top of it. 

“Cohen likes to use people for his masterpieces. That is like...a requirement for letting people come in his domain. Your friend here is not his first victim... and he won’t be the last.”   
He touched the red patches on his fur, stood up, then took a seat.

"You two remind me of someone I knew a long time ago. Sometimes... you just want to right some wrongs. You can decide where to sleep. Bob and I still have work to do."

Viktor plucked Mordecai's glasses off the ground and put them in a secure place, then laid gingerly on the mattress. He watched his companion's face until he fell asleep.

End chapter 8


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am sorry for the long hiatus.

Chapter 9 

An alarm clock went off with a drilling sound, making Mordecai sit up on the couch with a start. He held the knife he kept in his sleep sharp against the void.  
Viktor was already awake, laying on his mattress, but when he saw Mordecai wake up so abruptly, he sat up and put a hand on his wrist. 

“Calm down. Ve are not in danger.” 

“Thank you. Where are we?” Mordecai squinted, trying to see Viktor's features in the darkness. Viktor handed him his glasses. 

“Still in our hosts house. They are sleeping now. Ve have to pay them for clothes...” 

Mordecai nodded, then cleaned his spectacles and placed them delicately on his nose.

He noted a clock on the wall that indicated it was 9.00 am. They heard somebody leaving the bedroom and walking towards the bathroom, then closing the door.   
A few moments later Bob arrived in the living room. He lit a lampshade and started the stove.

“Good morning fellas. Breakfast?” 

“Just tea, thank you.”   
Mordecai answered, trying to get up without having to step on Viktor's mattress. Viktor helped by holding him from the elbow, so that the young one could make it safely to a chair. 

“Coming right up. Viktor, my friend, are you on a liquid diet as well, or would you like some sausages?” 

"Sausages, thank you." Viktor got up and sat next to Mordecai. He watched as Bob put the kettle on one stove element and a frying pan on another.

Immediately the greasy smell of the meat filled the small kitchen. Jacques arrived fully dressed. He started to make some coffee, looking at Viktor and Mordecai. 

“Good morning," Jacques yawned, "we prepared the bill for the clothing. What are your plans today? We aren't opening the shop because there's some kind of celebration going on. Knowing Cohen and his parties, it’ll be better for us to stay inside.” 

“Ve have show to see. Liberation from parasites. In front of theatre...” Viktor answered for the both of them, while Bob placed a teapot, saucer and sugar bowl in front of Mordecai.

Jacques nodded, putting some plates and cutlery on the table. He also put down a receipt paper filled with numbers. Mordecai slid it towards himself to look, and Bob dished out sausages and bread. 

“Here, eat up! Also, I dun thinka the play’s gonna be called that. There's only one theater except for the Eva’s Applah, so you're probably gonna see whatevah they gonna show’ ya.”   
Since Viktor looked really confused from his manner of speech, Jacques tried to translate. 

“What Bob means is... We don’t think the show is called ‘Liberation from the Parasites?’ but you'll have to go there to know for sure. How are you feeling, Mordecai? Did the medicine work?” 

Mordecai lifted his head from the bill. Only now did he notice the pain from his back was completely gone. 

“I... yes, I guess it did, I am not in pain anymore... what... what was that?” 

Jacques shrugged, and cut into his sausages.

“Oh, just a Physical tonic we use to enhance our healing if we get in trouble. Don’t worry, we have plenty. I didn’t add it to the bill.”

Mordecai tried to hide his surprise, while exchanging a small glance with Viktor. Was that a plasmid? Did they make him use a plasmid? 

He finished his tea, pulling the wallet from his pocket and counting the banknotes. 

“Well, we are really grateful for your help. I think we should take our leave now...” 

Somebody knocked on the door.   
Jacques sighed, trying to get up, but Bob put his hand on his shoulder. 

“Lemme get at.”   
He went down the hallway and opened the door.  
“Yes? Sorry, there’s a celebration, so we’re not opening todah...” 

“I am not a customer; I am looking for Mr. Heller and Mr. Vasko.”   
Mordecai barely had time to register their names before he saw Ms. Elizabeth storming inside. She was furious.

“Do you think this is a game?" she snapped, and stood in the dining room. 

"Do you think I am having fun? I told you--"--she pointed at Viktor –"--that I had a person who would take care of you, but you did whatever you felt like! You left my man waiting for hours! Which part of ‘we have enemies who want us to fail’ don't you understand?” 

“Ve needed new clothes, and...” Viktor started, angry, but Elizabeth cut him off. 

“I was about to provide you with new clothes! If only you'd been less impatient!” 

“Ve vaited for you and you almost let Mordecai die!” 

“You would have died anyway, if it wasn’t for me!” she yelled. 

The last scream muted Viktor, who decided to just sit down and eat his breakfast. He chewed bitterly whilst glaring at her with his only eye. 

Mordecai put the banknotes on the table and slid them towards Jacques. He then faced Elizabeth, equally livid, but he was less prone to show his emotions.

“We managed just fine on our own, thank you very much. Are you here to escort us to the theater, or are you going to disappear again?” 

Elizabeth brought a hand to her temple, shaking her head a little, then nodded. 

“Yes. I was about to come and get you from the safe house, but then I was told you weren’t there, and... I had to look for you. So, please finish your meal, then come with me. We still have some time before the show starts.” 

“While I let Viktor complete his breakfast, may I speak to you in private?” 

Elizabeth was surprised by the request, but she obliged. Mordecai first thanked Bob and Jacques for their kindness, then followed her out of the flat. In the hallway, Elizabeth pulled out a cigarette holder, put one in her mouth and lit it with a zippo. She offered the case to Mordecai, who refused politely.

“So... Is your companion not supposed to listen to our conversation?” 

Mordecai took his glasses and began cleaning them with his handkerchief. 

“Not exactly. I have some worries I don’t want to put on Viktor’s shoulders.”   
He took a deep sigh, and then put his spectacles back on his nose, adjusting them with a finger. 

“I am afraid I was given plasmids against my will. Yesterday, I was in so much pain, I thought I was given morphine by our hosts, but it turned out to be... some kind of magic potion that made me heal really quickly. I am not in pain anymore and I feel like my wounds are gone. My question is... Will I be okay?” 

Elizabeth studied him, holding the cig between two fingers. She took a drag of smoke and exhaled it through her nose. 

"Yes. A simple medical tonic is nothing compared to consuming plasmids. Of course, if you overuse them, you might develop some dependence, as with any other drug, and...you could probably end up like the people you fought on your way here.” 

Mordecai neatly folded his handkerchief and put it back into his pocket. 

Just a moment later, Viktor came out the door, holding a small bag. 

“And what is that supposed to be?” Mordecai asked, curious. 

“Our clothes...” Viktor shrugged.

Mordecai took the bag off his hands. Elizabeth finished her cigarette and flicked the butt inside a bin. She then pushed her little fists inside the pockets of her jacket, and nodded at the boys. 

“We can go now.” she said, then guided them outside the building and through the plaza, walking fast but steady. 

“I want you both to know that you are not allowed to play anymore. This place is dangerous. I need you to be aware of your surroundings. She stopped in front of the theatre and handed them two tickets. 

“Let’s go inside. We have hours of entertainment ahead of us, and then a party to attend. And by entertainment, I mean I have to tell you everything about your role here. We have to do it as fast as possible, because we are already late.” 

She gave her ticket to the usher and went inside, followed promptly by the duo. A young porter with a flashlight took them up an elevator to their booth. It was one of four booths near the top of a large theatre hall. The whole place was decorated in a hedonistic, slightly obscene way, with nude statues hanging from the ceiling. The stage curtain was dark purple. The hall reeked of old wax, incense, and blood. Despite this, almost all the seats were filled.

Mordecai and Viktor sat with Elizabeth while she studied the program given to her by the porter boy. When loud music blared through the orchestra hole, they turned their attention to it, and the velvet curtain lifted to reveal a man and woman on stage. The man wore a dress, and the woman wore a suit. They took stance to begin the Dance Apache. 

Shrouded by the sound of the music, Elizabeth let out a relieved breath, and turned toward her two guests.

“Now... we can talk. Whoever is following me... and you... can’t come in here. I still don’t understand why, but I will sooner or later.   
“First of all, thank you for being patient. Thank you for following my instructions and coming here. I... I know about your troubles in Arcadia, and I apologize for all the annoyances you have experienced, stranded in a city under the sea... without any source of income...” 

She glared a little at Mordecai, who made just a little cough, probably knowing what she was talking about. She continued. 

“I brought you here for a reason. To avoid the end of the world.” 

“What, now? The end of the world?” Mordecai asked, raising his voice but not so much to be heard over the music. 

He collected himself, then kept going. 

“Madame, we would be really grateful if you’d explain yourself because I am already dealing with too many headaches.” 

“Yes, yes, if you would be so kind as to stop interrupting me. So. You are far, far away from home. Not in distance, but in time. Today is September 14, 1958. Thats exactly 34 years from when you died in the river Mississippi. Yes, in this universe, you are dead.”

“Vhat...” Viktor started.

“This is not correct. Two days ago, it was June 26th.”   
Mordecai calmed down Viktor. Elizabeth squinted in annoyance but she went on talking.

“If I can be brief, yes, there are numerous universes where things are stable or can change. All I needed was to grab you in the moment you were about to die and bring you here. I... don’t yet know how or why I can do this. There are versions of me that know, and others that don't.   
“I assure you, I am just trying to do the right thing. In about a week, somebody will die. In that moment, Rapture will collapse under the weight of the water, and everyone will die. That's what I mean by the end of the world...it will be the end for everybody in Rapture.  
“I was warned by a version of myself from a parallel universe about this. She told me to find a little girl and save her from Malvarosa, and that this girl had something that resembled our powers. And... and she told me to look for you two.” 

Mordecai was really feeling that headache. He couldn’t understand half of the words the lady was saying. It was just a convoluted mess. Viktor didn't look any better than him, so he decided to summarize it himself.

“So. Yes. What you are saying is that there is a little girl with special powers that is going to die, and if she dies, Rapture will collapse. All of this was told to you by… yourself in another universe... and she told you to look for Viktor and I... because in this universe... we are dead. Is that right? Why us, then? You never told us....” 

“Because the only time Rapture didn’t collapse was because you, or Viktor, were alive, and here in Rapture. You did something--we don't know what--but we know that your presence is necessary in order that to happen. This is why out of all the worlds I could grab you from, I decided to save you from death. It was a more merciful way to... well... sequester you.” 

“It was just a small accident... We were not going to die.” Mordecai scoffed, brushing some dust off his knee.

Viktor lowered his head, looking at his hands. All that information was definitely too much for him to handle. 

Mordecai noticed his concern, so he put a gentle hand on his wrist. Viktor looked up at him. 

“We were not going to die, Viktor. I had a plan. I was about to cut our ropes and we were going to swim to the surface. Then we would have killed Driver and his gang once for all.” 

Viktor tried to believe him, but it was difficult, so he remained silent. Elizabeth sighed, continuing her speech. 

“So... where was I... Yes. After the party, I am going to send you to the Little Sister’s Orphanage, and you will look for the aforementioned little girl. I haven’t told you about this yet, but, there is a really powerful woman named Malvarosa working against us. She has a lot of tricks up her sleeve. She already knows you are here, and she is looking for you.” 

Mordecai stopped her. 

“Who... who is this Malvarosa? I don’t understand.” 

Elizabeth nodded again. 

“Yes, of course. Dr. Malvarosa is a scientist that spent her entire life studying time travel. My alternate self told me that Malvarosa found a way to travel through dimensions in order to find the little girl. She then kills her because she wants her powers."

Viktor finally raised his head. 

“She kills a little girl...” he murmured softly. 

“Yes. This is what she does. We don't know exactly... if she really does get her powers or not, but, we are a few steps ahead of her this time. She is not our target at the moment. As I said, you need to find the little girl and bring her to a secure place. That way we can try to...well. I know what I need to do."

“And what is it? What are you supposed to do?” 

Elizabeth looked Mordecai dead in the eye. 

“Break the loop. Stop the deaths. Avoid the end of the world. In this order.” 

“... Can ve help?” 

Elizabeth shook her head. 

“No. I would be really glad if you just stay out my way and do the best you can to protect your own target.” 

“This is getting seriously ridiculous," Mordecai scoffed, shaking his head, "our role is to be improvised nannies? Is this some kind of joke? All this...this place, these magical powers, are reduced to this time loop plot? Do you think this is our idea of a dream job?"

"Well, of course not!" Elizabeth raised her voice a little, getting really tired with these complaints. 

“I don't think you're even capable of taking care of a potted plant, but there are some kind of ironic rules in the flow of the time and space. It wants you to be the only ones capable of doing this. It would be so much easier to read a book with all the answers, and not even my 'magical powers' are capable of predicting what will become of us."

The three of them were quiet a moment.

"You might fail. I might fail. And if we do, we will die drowned or impaled by a piece of glass." Elizabeth declared.

Viktor in that moment stood and put his hands on both Mordecai and Elizabeth shoulders, looking at them in a grim manner. 

“If ve don’t save her, she vill die, yes?” 

Elizabeth looked at him, nodding. 

“Yes. If we don’t put her in a safe place in the next few days, or weeks, she will die for sure.” 

Viktor frowned at Mordecai, and sat down again.

“Vhy are you complaining so? Do you vant to have blood on your hands?” 

“We already have blood on our hands... and...” 

“You know vhat I mean. Vhy are you so aggressive?” Viktor pressed.

Mordecai felt cornered. He turned his head, watching the show. After a few frustrating minutes, he answered. 

“I am not aggressive. I just don’t want to waste away in here.” 

“Ve can’t go anywhere else. You know it.” 

“Yes, I know!" Mordecai bit out. "But, I had things to do! People to speak with! And... and we are losing our minds, trapped in this madhouse!” 

Elizabeth calmed down, understanding what the issue was. 

“You are not losing anything. Once this story reaches its end, I will bring you home, just before Driver and his gang kidnaps you. Or, just after you fall in the river. Anytime, but not a minute later from when you want. I can do this, so you are not going to lose anything from your own time. And you can make amends with whatever is troubling you.” 

Mordecai looked at her, incredulous.

“How do you...” 

“You think you look so tough, but you are just a hedgehog with a flaccid belly.” 

There was a shower of applause. The stage show was ending. The dancer couple bowed and left, and the curtain dropped behind them.

Elizabeth made herself more comfortable on the chair and took a deep sigh. 

“Very well. Now the real show is about to start. We are going to stay here until the end, so I really hope you’ll enjoy it.” 

“Aren’t we in a rush?” Mordecai tried to object.

Elizabeth nodded. 

“Yes, we are, but my helpers need more time to prepare a way for you to reach for the Orphanage without being seen by Ryan cameras. So, for the moment, we just need to kill time. At the party after the show, you will depart.” 

Mordecai shifted in his seat, a little uncomfortable, but conceded.

“I might need some theater binoculars...” 

Elizabeth provided a pair.

Viktor just crossed his arms, looking at the ceiling, and promptly fell asleep. 

End chapter 9


	10. Chapter 10

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Oh my god, I am so sorry for this long Hiatus, but you know, Beer virus issues. I worked pretty hard on this chapter so i really hope you'll enjoy!!!

Chapter 10 

"This is the story of a young girl - sweet, kind, and free - and of a parasite - slimy, disgusting, and ready to suck the life out of her. Our heroine will learn how the free market can help her live up to her full potential, then she will bury the parasites under her feet, and send them back to the hell from which they came."

The choir sang the verses of the play while a young man sporting a blue dress and suspenders, jumped about the stage. The pigtails on his wig bounced as he stepped on the hands and feet of other actors, who were wearing black bags, crawling around in an attempt to catch him.

“Is this a joke?” 

Mordecai asked Elizabeth, somewhat intrigued by the strange dance. 

“Oh, I wish it was. This is not one of Cohen's works. It was written by one of his pupils. I was hoping for something more mature today, but I guess they didn't have a lot of time to prepare."

Mordecai nodded, keeping quiet. 

"The play is a sort of retelling of Little Red Riding Hood, in that a girl was sent to her old relative to protect them from the danger of parasites."

Hearing that term again, Mordecai leaned in close to Elizabeth.

"Paint me curious, but... why this obsession with parasites? What are they, exactly?" he whispered.

"Parasites are the enemies of Rapture," Elizabeth said in a quiet voice, leaning towards him, "that is the word Andrew Ryan uses to describe people who belong to the surface. People who only steal work and ideas and put stupid 'rules' on everything. Parasites are people who don't work, but still feel entitled to the things 'normal people' do and make. So, it's not good to be a parasite in this city."

Mordecai nodded, crossing his arms and watching the stage. 

The costumes were poorly made, even if Mordecai couldn't really tell due to the distance. The story was incredibly awful as well. But what really stole the show was the practical effects.

Mordecai was sure that plasmids were used to make the actors fly or disappear or shoot sparkles from their fingers. But the moment the 'little girl' covered herself with a slimy substance and emerged as a completely different person, oh my, that made Mordecai hold his breath in a stupor.

Of course, the girl killed all of the parasites (in deeply gory depictions where not all of the actors could have made it out alive) and she celebrated by pouring herself a big glass of alcohol.

The moment she drank from it, she lit aflame and only ashes were left in her place. The play ended with the choir ringing out that drinking too much would turn you into a parasite as well if you didn't pay attention.

The curtain fell and the crowd gave a timid applause. It was as if they took some time to understand that the play was over.

Mordecai nudged Viktor's elbow with the back of his hand, waking him up.

"We are done. No need to hear you snoring anymore."

"I do not snore." Viktor complained, yawning. He saw that Elizabeth stood up and was fixing her skirt. "Vat naow?"

"Now we are going to get some new clothing, and then we will go to the party." Elizabeth answered.

Mordecai glanced up as he fixed his cuffs.

"But we just got new clothing..." he protested, but Elizabeth shook her head.

"Not for you, for him."

"Is this necessary?" Viktor crossed his arms in front of his chest.

"Yes, of course, but don't worry. You will be free to change in the bathysphere. I will make sure of that, unless you fall in love with your fancy clothes." Elizabeth explained while they walked toward the elevator.

"I highly doubt dat." Viktor grumbled, low enough that only Mordecai could hear him.

The trio - after a quick break waiting for Viktor to change in the men's bathroom - walked outside of the theater. 

The party already started. The whole plaza was covered with ribbons and confetti. People were playing music and dancing all about the place.

Elizabeth handed Mordecai and Viktor two masks, and put one on her face as well. They walked around, trying to avoid people recklessly using plasmids, until they reached the staircase. 

There were two guys acting as bouncers by the stairway. When they noticed the trio, they stopped Elizabeth.

"Miss E, Master Cohen wants to invite you and your... uh... friends... over to his private party."

"We are somewhat busy at the moment. Are you sure the party can't go on without us?"

The two bouncers gave her an obvious look, so she sighed. 

“As you wish, then.” 

The bouncers parted and let them pass. They climed the staircase and followed a red carpet until a door opened for them, welcoming them into the private party venue. 

The lights here were dimmer than the rest of Fort Frolic. Dark red curtains covered the windows. Chandeliers glittered, full of candles. The room was crowded with people, all of them wearing masks, but nobody was dancing. They were just standing, chatting, a low hum covering the music played for them on violin and piano.

Viktor noticed several wax statues in the shape of people, faces smiling. He was almost certain he saw one of them blink. He blamed the dancing of the flames.

While Viktor was examining the ceiling, Mordecai covered his nose on top of his mask. The smell was unbearable.

He could smell rotten flesh underneath the faint perfumes, scented wax, and incense. He felt really uncomfortable, remembering how he and Viktor were treated the day previous. He could still feel his back itch, even knowing he wasn't wounded anymore. His green eyes scanned the crowd. Mordecai felt Viktor's robust arm pull him closer, in what must have been a protective gesture.

"I am fine." he murmured, and took a step away from his companion.

Elizabeth walked straight ahead until she found Cohen. He was dressed like a swan, with a hat resembling the head of the animal, and a jacket with large, white sleeves that resembled wings. 

“Elizabeth, my dear! You joined us! And you brought my favorite people from yesterday!”   
He passed her and opened his arms, as if offering Viktor a hug. When he didn't respond, he continued. 

"Welcome! I am so glad you could make it. There are so many people here for you to meet, and make art with!"

He turned to Mordecai, then, smiling even wider.

"And you... oh, you have to be the main course tonight."

Mordecai glared at him from behind the mask.

"I organized some games," Cohen continued, "and I would be delighted if you would participate... given your... skills with the gun."

Mordecai took a step away from Cohen toward Viktor, subtle enough that he wouldn't notice he was looking for shelter.

The grin on Cohen's face only widened. He performed a small bow.

"But...we will see that later. Enjoy! Drink! Let us celebrate the death of the parasites!"

And he disappeared in the crowd. 

Mordecai approached Elizabeth, who was walking towards the buffet. 

"How long are we meant to wait here? I thought we were in kind of a hurry..."

"I know, I know." Elizabeth nodded, filling her plate with fresh fruit. "I have to send a message to my collaborators. They will reach this place, but I am sure it wouldn't take long to find an exit and just run away."

She handed the dish to Mordecai, smiling a little when he picked at the grapes and strawberries with his claw.

"By the way, where is Viktor?"

Mordecai lifted his head at the question.

"He is right behind..." he turned, but Viktor wasn't where he thought he was.

Panic slithered into his body. Mordecai walked around, slowly, looking everywhere for his companion. 

There were too many people - dancing, chatting, eating -- and the smell and confusion was really stressing Mordecai out.

He returned to Elizabeth. He was still holding his plate, but without realizing it, all the fruit rolled off during his search. He shakily placed the empty dish on the table, trying not to hyperventilate.

"I can't find him. I don't think he would just leave without telling us. What should we do?"

Elizabeth nodded her head slowly, making a gesture to follow her. They made their way to a wall, and there, she closed her eyes.

Mordecai kept looking over the crowd. How could a big guy like Viktor disappear like this? He heard Elizabeth take a deep breath and turned his attention to her. She took the air into her hands, then stretched it as if she was holding a piece of rubber. It was a portal. Much like the one that brought them here, only smaller.

She brought the portal up to her eyes, looked through it, then closed it. 

Nobody noticed anything, and that put Mordecai a little more at ease. Nonetheless he was still worried about Viktor.

"You aren't going to like what's about to happen." Elizabeth said, scratching her neck.

"What? What did you see?"

Elizabeth shook her head, visibly unhappy.

"He is close. I saw what will happen next. I can only ask you to play along. I...have to go."

Elizabeth tied her hair up and went toward a door that Mordecai wasn't sure was even there before.

"Wait, please don't go! Not now!"

“I will come back soon, I promise.” Elizabeth glanced at him with a sad look in her eyes, then slipped through the door.

Mordecai tried to open it after her, but it was locked. He punched it, feeling helpless. Then there was a hand on his shoulder.

Mordecai was about to whip out his blade, but instead he turned, and looked into the empty eyes of a rabbit mask.

“My dear friend, it’s your moment!” the Rabbit said, a crooked smile opening under the mask. 

“What?” 

And in that moment a stage in the venue lit up. There was Cohen, sitting on top of a crate with a microphone in his hands. 

“Welcome once again to my party, dearest family and friends! I hope you are enjoying your time here. I am glad so many of you answered my call, my invite, to have a good time together.” 

He waited for the applause to wear off and kept going, walking up and down the stage. 

"Today is a day of celebration, the day the horrible parasites who wanted to prey on the hardworking, good people were defeated. But today, I think we should work on something a little more... important.

"I know some of you are hiding in the shadows, in Rapture, in Fort Frolic. This is unacceptable. Fort Frolic is a place for the arts, a place to express yourself to your full potential.

"That is why, today, I decided to help some friends to finally show the world what they are hiding inside."

The curtain behind him lifted, revealing six big glass containers, each one illuminated by a stage light. Mordecai's eyes went wide, for inside of each glass, there was a person inside...

"Beatrice!" A lady's voice screamed from the crowd. 

Then Mordecai finally saw it. In the last container... it was Viktor. He was furious, beating his fists against the glass.

What was this? Was this the game Cohen was talking about? 

Indeed, Cohen tapped on the microphone for people to calm down, then spoke.

“If you see somebody you know up here, please, come, join the fun!” 

Mordecai felt a puncture in his side, as if somebody pinched him, but still he climbed onto the stage, along with other four people. 

A lady inside one of the containers started to hit the glass, tears streaming down her cheeks. She pointed towards a man in the crowd who was crying as well, shaking his head. But he wouldn't move.

Cohen examined the people in front of him. He smiled a little, walking between them.

"Oh, I am so glad you joined us. Now then, this game is quite simple..."

He pointed to the top of the containers, at some water pumps. Mordecai studied the structure, understanding what was going to happen. They were going to fill the glass containers with water... 

Cohen kept going with his explanation. 

“All you have to do is grab a gun, and shoot the board that tells your secret."

A man dressed like an angel uncovered a board with some wooden tablets. On each one, a word was written: 

“Divorce” “Adultery” “Parasite” “Sodomy” “Forgery” “Feticide” 

Mordecai looked at all of them, confused. Which one was he supposed to hit? 

“Choose quickly, or your loved ones will pay for your hesitation!” 

Water began pouring inside the containers, fast. Mordecai looked at Viktor, confused. His companion was calm, now, rotating himself, looking for a way to escape.

Cohen didn’t stop talking in the meantime. 

"Your loved ones know which word is yours... They know your secret, because they are a part of it. The clock is ticking. Come on, make a choice... But be careful, you only have one bullet!"

A man grabbed the gun and shot one of the tablets--forgery.

The water stopped flowing in one of the tubes. It clicked open, and a girl scrambled out, water splashing over the stage. The two hugged and got off the platform to some applause.

A lady weighed the gun in her hand, took a deep breath, and tried to shoot "adultery". She missed.

"No, no!" she exclaimed, rushing for the tube, where another girl was.

"Beatrice, Beatrice I am sorry!"

Beatrice said something that nobody could hear, while the water flow increased dramatically. Mordecai had to look away, when he heard a loud thump near him.

It was Viktor. He hit the glass, this time more desperate.

Mordecai wanted to take the gun, but he didn't know what tablet he was supposed to choose. For sure, not "divorce"...

"We have time, we can do it..." he mouthed to Viktor.

He waited for the others to hit their target.

Time was flowing so slow, while the containers were filling fast. Water was already at Viktor's knees. 

Finally, the other two contenders shot and won the chance to save their loved ones, leaving Mordecai with two choices. Both of them were almost impossible, but still...they were plausible. He weighed the gun in his hand and looked at VIktor.

"How do they know..."

He asked quietly, trying to think. Trying to guess. Trying to understand what those people had on him. 

Was one of the options so obvious? No, it was impossible...

After a few minutes, water at chest height, the man who stayed in the crowd jumped onstage, grabbed the gun, and shot.

He hit the tablet and the container opened, water sloshing everywhere. He hugged the lady, who slapped him straight in the face.

"I am so sorry, I am sorry..."

Only one tablet was left untouched. 

Parasite.

Mordecai took a deep breath, gripping the gun in hand. He shot, hitting his mark. He was calling himself a parasite. That was their secret?

The tube containing Viktor opened, and the big guy came out, trembling. Only Beatrice's tube stayed full...she was already drowned.

Cohen was about to speak, but a trapdoor popped open onstage, and out came Elizabeth.

"Oh! I am glad you survived this stupid game. Come on, boys. We are ready."

Mordecai and Viktor jumped into the trapdoor without hesitation. It led them through a path, stumbling, that went outside the party venue. 

"Thank you for the help, we could've died! Again!" Mordecai exclaimed, hands still shaking from the ordeal. She guided them along the plaza party crowd until they reached the port.

There was a new bathysphere, along with two guys holding a suitcase.

Elizabeth stopped.

"Alright, no time for presentations. These are my collaborators. All you have to do is enter the bathysphere and reach the orphanage. We have a picture of the girl you have to find, along with some gifts for you, in the suitcase. We even packed you a lunch."

Elizabeth took a deep sigh, and placed a hand on Mordecai's shoulder. 

“I... saw a lot of things. But you will succeed. You have to.” 

In the meantime, one of the guys put the suitcase in Viktor's hands. 

“Ms. E. doesn't know it, but we put a little pick me up in the gift. We know her intentions, but we know you will need these.” 

Viktor didn’t understand, but he and Mordecai, still in a daze, entered the Bathysphere. 

“I gave you a map where the safe place to bring the girl is. I couldn’t show you until now... for some reasons you will soon understand. Let’s meet again there. I will wait for you.” 

The bathysphere closed. Mordecai sat down, while Viktor slumped into his seat and sighed. He opened the suitcase and grabbed one of the sandwiches that were inside.

Mordecai looked outside at the deep sea, closing his eyes and letting out a shuttery breath. 

One freak show to the next.

Finally, their mission began...for real.

End chapter 10.


	11. Chapter 11

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I am back from the Hiatus! I missed you all! I hope you missed me, but i promise i will try to post a little more regurarly! Let's go!!!

Chapter 11 

Andrew Ryan was seated in his office, drinking coffee, and reading the newspaper. He felt proud of himself, and proud of what his town came to be. 

He finally got rid of the smuggles bringing chaos to his beautiful city, and he could focus on other important stuff, but at the moment he was taking a minute to breathe.   
And that breather was cut short once he answered the phone and heard Doctor Malvarosa's voice on the other side. 

“Why are you calling me?”   
Ryan asked, trying to finish his coffee. 

Doctor Malvarosa was a strange kind of woman, in Ryan's eyes. Almost as strange as doctor Lamb, or Tanenbaum. 

Women who knew what they wanted in life. Women to which no number of bijoux would change their minds, or even nudge them in another direction. Only violence could put something in their heads. Strange women, indeed.  
Usually, any kind of interaction with Malvarosa outside of her lab meant trouble, but Ryan was in enough of a good mood to let her to go off on her usual gibberish about people traveling through time and so on... 

“... And this is why I need your help to capture them, or at least stop them. I can work on their bodies -- if you can manage to not break them too much, and...” 

“Wait.” 

Ryan stopped her mid-sentence, and took another breath before speaking. 

“Are they a threat to Rapture?” 

Malvarosa was caught off guard, but regained control of her thoughts. Yes, of course. Ryan only cared about one thing, and she had to push his buttons. 

“These people came from the surface, and they might be spies! And...” 

“You're not answering my question. Are they a threat to the city? We just came out of a war against the smugglers, so I would like to avoid losing people again because of some... whim.” 

Malvarosa pinched the bridge of her nose, trying to find a way to get him on her side. 

“.... If you learned how to travel through time, you would have had the tools to avoid losing people from the start."  
That wasn’t true, but Ryan didn’t have to know that. She knew she broke though since she could hear him shift in his chair and lean a little closer to the bell of the phone. 

“Yes. That’s really interesting. You have my support, then, Malvarosa. What do you need from me?”   
Malvarosa smiled, then, leaning back on her chair, she listed her demands. In the other room, Raymond listened to her speaking, and at the same time, he punched holes in some cards in a particular pattern to send somebody a message. 

He took a glance at the camera towering over him and sighed, putting the cards in a envelope and placing it in his pocket. His job was risky, but the odd eyed secretary knew what was wrong and what was right. 

“How are you feeling now?” 

Mordecai broke the silence after they were traveling in the dark waters for some minutes.  
Viktor ate his sandwich and stared out the porthole. He changed into something more comfortable -- that is to say, something dry -- and stayed silent. He had been quiet the whole time.

Mordecai was still a little upset from Cohen's 'show', but he really wanted to know how his companion was feeling after the ordeal. After all, Viktor almost drowned twice in just as many days, and that would be draining for anyone's mental health.

The Slovakian didn't even raise his head, as if he was ignoring him. But he relaxed his shoulders a little, then glanced at Mordecai with his good eye.

“You hesitated.” 

Mordecai felt those words like a hit to the gut, but he fixed his glasses and tried to concentrate on what was could be in the suitcase between them. He opened it, and began to sort through the contents.

“I did not. I didn’t know what I had to choose.”   
He tried to defend himself. 

“Vhy did you think it was other thing?”   
There was a silent accusation in Viktor's words, an accusation Mortdecai couldn’t ignore, but at the same time he couldn’t think about it. 

“I was unsure on how much information our host had on us. Or on me. This is why I ‘hesitated’. Leaving you to perish in that tube was my last wish.” 

Viktor made a harsh sound, as if he didn’t believe Mordecai's words, but he was getting tired and he didn’t want to fight with him. He touched the glass of the porthole, trying to make figures out of the dark shapes in the water. 

He didn’t want to be angry at Mordecai, but deep, deep inside, he felt like all of this was his fault. 

After all, they were captured by Diver's gang in the first place because he was trying to help Mordecai out. The thought of the little girl about to die at the hand of that evil doctor made Viktor's heart ache, and knowing he and Mordecai were her last hope wasn't making him feel any better.

He had already left a little girl, before. He didn't want it to happen again.  
He heard a clinking sound followed by a surprised sigh and turned his head towards Mordecai, who was holding a red bottle in his hand. 

“And what are these supposed to be?”   
Mordecai wondered aloud.

Viktor approached, reaching out to examine the item. Mordecai passed it to him. 

It was a red bottle with a flame on it. The word “Incinerate” was inscribed on the glass. What surprised the Slovakian the most was that the jug was warm, as if it contained a hot liquid, and when he opened the cap, he saw a syringe inside. 

Mordecai then handed him another one, called “Winter Blast”. It was blue and cold to the touch. 

“Are these the things to make you do the magic?”   
Viktor asked, putting them back in the suitcase. He wiped his hands on his trousers while Mordecai closed the suitcase.

“I believe these are plasmids, yes, but I haven't the faintest idea why we have them in our possession, since I thought Elizabeth was against using them...”

“Pick me up." Viktor interjected. "The men with... lady said they are pick me ups.” 

“Oh. I understand now... So, do you think we will be in a situation where we will need them?”   
Mordecai responded, slightly concerned. 

Viktor shrugged, and then the bathysphere finally reached the harbor. 

Once again, they were in a place unlike the others where they docked before. This time, there were only a couple of benches and street lights. Only one of them worked. Otherwise, the whole area was dark, and deafeningly empty.

Viktor stayed well within the middle of the platform to avoid falling in the water, while Mordecai walked under the working streetlamp in order to study the map. They were completely oblivious to the eyes that watched them from the darkness.

Countless splicers, silently hanging from the walls and ceiling, were waiting for Ryan's command to strike.

They had been promised a generous amount of ADAM to stop -- or even kill -- their target, but this wasn't the right moment. Yet.

Ryan observed them from the camera, his hand hovering over the radio button. When he saw Mordecai fold the map and put it back in the suitcase, Ryan pushed the button, and spoke a single word.

“Attack.” 

End of chapter 11


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12 

Bang, Bang! 

Mordecai shot twice, hitting two unfortunate splicers that managed to get too close to them. After that, the smaller cat nudged his companion, running behind him. 

“How did they find us?”   
Viktor exclaimed, shooting a shotgun he took from one of the dead splicers. He was trying to open a hole in the crowd of the people in front of them.   
People was a really big word...they were basically monsters. Only Mordecai's presence behind him made him feel secure showing his back to the rest of their attackers. 

As for the question, Mordecai answered sarcastically.  
“Why don’t you ask them? I'm sure if we get nice and acquainted, they will stop attacking us, don’t you think?”   
Viktor shot again with the shotgun, elbowing Mordecai’s back with the recoil, and then screamed. 

“Ja! Good idea! Vhy are you being smart now?”   
Mordecai hit one of the splicers with the suitcase and kicked another one. He shot it in the head, killing it instantly. 

“I am not being smart, you're the one who's asking stupid questions!” 

Viktor noticed he was out of ammo, so he grabbed the shotgun by the scalding barrel, using it like a mace to clear their path through countless enemies. They were still managing to advance, because all those creatures were apparently really weak. Just one hit was enough to send them out of their misery.. 

“Do you see the entrance?”   
Mordecai asked after a couple of minutes, feeling as though their running was getting them nowhere. 

Viktor bashed away some of the splicers, hissing when one of them hit his arm with the sharp sickle it was holding. He glanced over the mass of bodies and then nodded, shouting his answer over the noise. 

“Ve are almost there! I see a door!”   
“Well step it up, big ox!”   
With a roar, Viktor grabbed Mordecai by the arm and dragged him towards the entrance. After freeing the way, they finally managed to put themselves behind the door, locking it up with some metal debris that was there. 

They could hear the scratches of fingernails against the door, but for the moment they were safe. The duo took a moment to catch their breath.   
Mordecai checked to see if the contents of the briefcase were still safe and sound, and then he and Viktor took a moment to study their surroundings. 

The door they just passed through went to a place that looked like the outskirts of the town, with decadent buildings and street markets.   
The entire place was built inside a natural cave, with stalactites dripping water in puddles on the ground, reflecting the light from a few orange streetlamps and the sparkling electricity that came from loose cables.   
The smell was almost unbearable, a mix between sewage and rotten fish, but they couldn’t stop now. 

Mordecai took the map out of his pocket, disgusted at how it was dirtied by a few blood drops from the splicers they killed. He consulted it one more time, trying to ignore the noise coming from the other side of the sturdy metal door behind them. 

“Vhere now?”   
Viktor asked, glaring over Mordecai's shoulder, trying to understand anything that was written on the map. The smaller man pointed to a small dot that looked like a smear on the paper. 

“This is where we are now, and...”   
He pointed to another dot on the map, definitely far away from where they were. 

Something creaked behind them. As they turned their heads, the splicers' scythes stabbed through the rotten wood of the doorframe, and some of the monsters managed to break through.

“I... will explain it to you later, let’s go!” 

Mordecai started to run, patting his pocket for bullets, while his brain was working quickly. 

The orphanage was still miles away, and there were too many splicers to defeat with a mere handgun. They needed more firepower, literally. 

He looked around, trying to study his surroundings. Then he stopped, took a deep breath, and ran towards one of the electricity poles that had exposed cables. He tried to push it in a way that would make the cables touch the puddle of water on the ground. 

Viktor realized what he was doing and went to help him immediately, making the pole fall, creating a mortal trap. 

They got running again, turning a couple times to check on the enemy. The screams and the smell of burned flesh told them that their trap worked well, but not well enough--as some of the splicers just jumped over the corpses of their pals, or climbed on the walls of the houses surrounding the puddle. 

Startled by that view, the duo ran again, Mordecai navigating through the narrow alleys, until they found themselves at a dead end. 

“This is impossible, the map said this way was open...”   
Mordecai grumbled, trying to find a way to surpass the wall. Viktor nudged him slightly, taking notice of how the other side of the alley was completely closed off by the remaining splicers.

“Is this the end?”   
Mumbled Ryan, watching the scene from one of his cameras while writing an answer for his mole.   
He needed to gather enough ADAM to reward all those brave splicers who took this mission to heart. He lowered his head to reach for the manual calculator to try to get a summary of the amount he needed, but the moment he rose up, his screen went completely blank, as if his camera was being blinded by something... like a fire...   
He stared at the monitor, perplexed, until the image became clear again. Then he saw one of the two... had... a white gleam around his hands... as if they were on fire. 

“What the...”   
He grabbed the radio immediately, trying to contact Malvarosa. It was impossible... he was told that they weren't using any plasmids! 

Mordecai shot fire from his hands, feeling the power while he opened the way for Viktor, who just froze the splicers following them alive. It was a last-minute decision, when they indeed needed a pick me up. Mordecai felt such a burning feeling coming from his chest, now, that the only way to get rid of it was by letting the power escape and burn everything around him. 

The smell of scorched flesh was so strong it was seriously nauseating, but the adrenaline of being able to destroy their enemies in a snap of his fingers was keeping him going, ignoring the screams, the heat, the fatigue that came after injecting that liquid into his own body... 

He stopped only once, grabbing two weapons from the ground, another handgun for himself, and a rifle for Viktor. He checked them for bullets and then advanced again, leaving behind a trail of corpses. 

Andrew Ryan couldn’t stand to watch such a thing. He was only losing men at this point, so he called for a retreat, while aggressively trying to contact Dr. Malvarosa. She was unreachable in any way.   
This wasn’t the plan; his splicers were supposed to off those meddling time travelers, he was going to get his reward and that’s it, end of story. He wanted to participate to avoid losing more people, but now the complete opposite was happening. 

The splicers received his message and ran away. He was about to turn off the monitor, but then he noticed a silhouette he knew pretty well. 

“Oh, seeing you become a part of the game, this might be interesting...” 

Once the splicers had absconded, probably scared by Mordecai and Viktor’s powers, the duo could rest. 

“I feel veak...”   
Viktor murmured after a moment, sitting down, while Mordecai pressed a hand to his own forehead. He still felt hot but not like he was feeling before. He joined Viktor and sat down, checking his weapon. 

Then, upon hearing some footsteps in their direction, Mordecai raised his gun, ready to shoot, but the figure raised their arms, speaking in a feminine voice with a thick German accent. 

“Don’t shoot... I come in peace...”   
The lady stepped into the light. She was wearing a purple dress. She had brown fur and enormous green eyes, and her hair was kept in tidy locks. She looked ageless.   
“...My name is Brigid Tanenbaum, and I think we can help each other out. 

End of chapter 12


End file.
